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Discrete Element Method (DEM) Software

WHO-Scaled

Who

Undergrads, graduate students, PhD candidates, researchers, student teams, professors, and anyone interested in the study of bulk material and grain interaction, granular interaction with physical objects, and particle mixing can benefit from EDEM’s high-performance solver and CAE integration capabilities.

What-scaled

What

EDEM uses advanced DEM techniques to simulate any granular interaction you can think of. From heavy industry to pharmaceuticals, EDEM has a tool to accurately and quickly model and simulate particle behaviors.

WHY-scaled

Why

EDEM can:

  1. Simulate any material
  2. Realistically simulate particle behavior
  3. Interact with CAE
  4. Be customized
  5. Give you accurate results fast and easily

The DEM Tool Trusted by Hundreds of Universities

 

Welcome to the Academic Hub for Learning and Teaching with Altair EDEM – a leading, industrial-strength Discrete Element Method (DEM) software that is also well-suited for cutting-edge research and teaching, as well as for student projects and competitions.

Altair EDEM is a high-performance software for simulating bulk and granular materials. DEM powers it and can quickly and accurately analyze the behavior of materials such as coal, mined ores, soils, fibers, grains, tablets, and powders. Engineers can gain crucial insights into how these materials interact with their equipment under various operating and process conditions through EDEM simulations. Additionally, EDEM can be used on its own or in combination with other CAE tools or in combination with other CAE tools.

Trusted by over a thousand academic researchers across more than 300 leading universities spanning 50 countries, Altair EDEM has become the go-to choice for studying particle-related research in diverse engineering disciplines. Utilized by PhDs, Postdocs, Research Associates, and Masters Students alike, EDEM plays a pivotal role in advancing research across fields such as process engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, agricultural engineering, and more.
EDEM Research Spotlights

Learn Altair EDEM (and Get Certified)

Getting Started Tutorial Videos

What is DEM v2

What is DEM

Learn the Basics of Discrete element method and EDEM. This video touches on the differences between the Continuum and the Discrete Methods, the key components of the DEM, as well as the CPU and the GPU solvers. Finally, we'll close with particle shape representations and a note on material calibration.

 

Flexible Fibers

How to Simulate Flexible Fibers in EDEM

Flexible particles are useful for simulating flexible stalks, grasses, and fibrous materials. This video shows you how to simulate flexible material by creating a Sphero-Cylinder Meta particle in EDEM.

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How to create granular material using EDEM

Find out how to generate granular material using EDEM factories, and learn some best practices to optimize your dynamic factory and simulation run time. Whether you want to create a continuous flow of particles, a pile of material, or a complex shape, EDEM Factories can help with material creation.

Access more tutorial videos on the EDEM How-To Channel

See Videos

Extend your Knowledge

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... via eLearning Courses

The EDEM eLearning courses are one of the easiest ways to start using the software. No matter if you are a new Altair EDEM user or already know how to use some of the features, you can find a wealth of learning content that fits your needs.

  • EDEM Introduction: This course is intended for users who would like to find out more about EDEM software and the basics of setting up, running, and analyzing a simulation.
  • EDEM Calibration: This course will introduce you to Calibration in EDEM, why it is important, and how to apply a systematic methodology to calibrate your models.
  • EDEM Coupling with MotionSolve: This course introduces the co-simulation solution between EDEM and MotionSolve, and enables engineers to introduce realistic bulk material loads to their multi-body dynamics simulations. 

  • EDEM Coupling with Altair CFD: This course introduces EDEM CFD Coupling, which enables users to run co-simulations of Altair CFD Software and EDEM to model particle-fluid systems.

  • EDEM Contact Models: This course presents the range of contact models available in EDEM. The contact models are split into Base models, Rolling Friction models, and Additional Models. You will learn the theory behind each model and when to use them.
See All Courses
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... via Virtual Instructor-led Training

Join our monthly Altair EDEM online training sessions and learn high-performance software for bulk and granular material simulation directly form the experts. The virtual courses teach the basics of the Discrete Element Method and how to use EDEM for various applications. The session is divided into two days with different topics.
See All Upcoming Trainings

Want to learn from a community expert? See EDEM PDF resources by topic.

PDF Tutorials

Teach with Altair EDEM

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Complement Your Teaching with the DEM eBook

Use the eBook "What is DEM" to complement your instruction on the theoretical background behind the Discrete Element Method (DEM).

The following topics are covered:

  • Modeling Approaches
  • DEM Background
  • Particle Motion Calculations
  • Time Steps
  • Interaction Models
  • Contact Detection
  • Particle Shapes
  • Material Calibration
  • Geometries in DEM
  • DEM Coupling
Download the eBook

Join more than 300 universities

Teach DEM to Anyone with Altair EDEM

Request a Teaching License

Get Inspired by Other Teachers

Experience how others are leveraging Altair EDEM at their universities.

ATCx DEM Conference 2022

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Speaker: Dr. Ruihuan Ge, Faraday Institution Research Fellow, The University of Sheffield


Demand for renewable energy is driving the need for efficient energy storage techniques. Lithium-ion battery electrodes, made of particulate materials, are commonly used. This project uses Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation to investigate calendering in lithium-ion battery electrodes.

Watch The Video
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Speaker: Johannes Lindenblatt, Research Associate, Technische Universität München


Battery production processes can affect battery cells significantly. Discrete-Element-Simulations can observe processes at a micrometer scale and predict process parameters for the calendering process.

Watch The Video
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Speaker: Dr. John Morrissey, Research Fellow School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh


This presentation describes an academic-industry partnership to develop a digital model framework, using twin screw granulation as a case study. The framework combines the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and the Population Balance Model (PBM) for multi-scale modeling.

Watch The Video

See all ATCxDEM 2022 conference presentations

Resource Library

Research Papers using EDEM

Resaerch Papers

Find articles, theses, books, and abstracts from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, and universities that use EDEM for their work and research. 

 
See All Papers

EDEM’s advanced simulation capability and fast run times, using parallel processing, gives us the ability to simulate, visualize and analyze very large particle systems. The user-friendly GUI helped us quickly integrate EDEM simulation into our research, allowing us to publish results within months of deploying the platform.

Kuo-Ching Chen (Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University)

Examples of EDEM's Extensive Use in Industry

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Andrew Hobbs

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Join fellow learners and experts in the Altair EDEM Community Space.

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